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Forum Discussion
Mackeroy
4 years agoNew member | Level 2
Creating an alias or symlink to a file within Dropbox
Is there a way to create a symlink or alias for a file or folder that points to a file within another Dropbox folder? For instance, making a symlink or alias for a large video file that resides in o...
- 4 years agoHello Mackeroy, I hope you're well today!
Symlinks and aliases are not currently supported by Dropbox, but perhaps I could suggest a work around for this.
Since you can create a shortcut to a web link with these steps, perhaps you could use this feature to add a shared link to the file you want to access from another folder.
When you open a shared link to a file that you already have access to, and you're signed into your account online, it will simply point you to the file within your account.
Let me know if that would do the trick!
Daphne
Dropbox Staff
Hello Mackeroy, I hope you're well today!
Symlinks and aliases are not currently supported by Dropbox, but perhaps I could suggest a work around for this.
Since you can create a shortcut to a web link with these steps, perhaps you could use this feature to add a shared link to the file you want to access from another folder.
When you open a shared link to a file that you already have access to, and you're signed into your account online, it will simply point you to the file within your account.
Let me know if that would do the trick!
Symlinks and aliases are not currently supported by Dropbox, but perhaps I could suggest a work around for this.
Since you can create a shortcut to a web link with these steps, perhaps you could use this feature to add a shared link to the file you want to access from another folder.
When you open a shared link to a file that you already have access to, and you're signed into your account online, it will simply point you to the file within your account.
Let me know if that would do the trick!
learlo
4 years agoNew member | Level 2
Not good enough!
I've got two folders in DropBox and I want to access the same file/folder from both. From any OS, directly in the OS file system. If I need to use a web link, then what's the point in using Dropbox rather than any of the gazillion cloud storage providers?
- Mark4 years agoSuper User II
From Dropbox's point its around data integrity and safety - syncing only occurs on symlinks as and when the software restarts which means that it doesnt always have the most up to date files on all systems.
- learlo4 years agoNew member | Level 2
Sorry Mark but I can't see the link (pun!) with the question.
- Mark4 years agoSuper User II
Basically the way Dropbox works is that it only looks at things in its own folder, so, when symlinks DID work they only updated and uploaded/changed/modified files when Dropbox was restarted. This meant that files and folders were frequently out of date and also caused conflicted files.
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